{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/housing-for-veterans-and-families-during-medical-treatments-heading-to-missourimccaskill-statement", "Housing for Veterans and Families During Medical Treatments Heading to Missouri—McCaskill Statement", "2016-12-16", "2016", "2016-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Housing for Veterans and Families During Medical Treatments Heading to Missouri\u2014McCaskill Statement \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t VA announces plans to build Fisher Houses at Columbia, Kansas City VA facilities to provide free housing accommodations during treatments \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, December 16, 2016\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced that Kansas City and Columbia will be priority sites for future construction of Fisher Houses, which provide free housing accommodations to veterans and their families while undergoing treatment at a VA medical center or military hospital\u2014a move applauded by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill.\r\n\u201cAfter everything they have sacrificed for our country, we owe it to our veterans and their families to provide them with the highest quality care, and the greatest flexibility when that care isn\u2019t easily accessible,\u201d said McCaskill, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee and the daughter of a World War II veteran. \u201cThe VA made a great choice in selecting Kansas City and Columbia for future Fisher House accommodations, which will help give Missouri veterans the convenient and comfortable experience they deserve while receiving medical treatment.\u201d\r\nIn 2016, Fisher Houses across the country\u2014including the St. Louis Fisher House\u2014accommodated over 23,000 families, saving guests over $3 million in lodging expenses. In addition to Kansas City and Columbia, VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald recommended 12 other VA medical centers become priority sites for future Fisher Houses. The addition of these sites will support access to care for thousands of additional veterans traveling to VA facilities for treatment.\r\nMcCaskill has been a longtime advocate for ensuring veterans receive the healthcare and services they deserve. Earlier this year, she worked to resolve unpaid claims of six Theodosia-area veterans through the Veterans Choice Program, which allows veterans who live more than 40 driving miles from or have other impediments to convenient access to a VA facility to receive care at a local health care provider.\r\nAiming to continue improvements to the quality of customer service at statewide VA facilities, McCaskill last year announced the expansion\u00a0of her successful \u201csecret-shopper\u201d program to the southwest Missouri area. The Veterans\u2019 Customer Satisfaction Program allows veterans to share timely, confidential feedback about their VA health care visits, and helps provide oversight and accountability for VA health care facilities.\u00a0The survey is now active in five regions:\u00a0St. Louis;\u00a0Kansas City;\u00a0Columbia;\u00a0Poplar Bluff;\u00a0Southwest Missouri (Fayetteville). Veterans seeking to participate in the Veterans\u2019 Customer Satisfaction Program can visit McCaskill\u2019s website,\u00a0McCaskill.senate.gov/VCSP, and complete the confidential survey. Responses can be submitted after each health care visit.\r\nVisit mccaskill.senate.gov/veterans to learn more about McCaskill\u2019s fight for military veterans.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/housing-for-veterans-and-families-during-medical-treatments-heading-to-missourimccaskill-statement"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.447061076760292, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}